McLaren MP4-29 Mercedes

[Owen.C93]

Not really no.

[Pup]

After thinking about it, I guess it's not really the same at all. With the truck example, when the tailgate is down you have a fence that ends abruptly at the back of the cab, which extends from the top of the cab to the truck bed. And there's limited ability for that low pressure area to pull in air since the truck bed is partially enclosed and of course because of the bed itself. With the tailgate up, the separated bubble fills in that area, and the fence becomes the tailgate itself. So not only is the fence smaller, but the low pressure area can pull in air from below and the sides.

So with the truck, it's really a case of lessening the size and effects of the fence, whereas with the dragonfly suspension, they're adding a fence that wasn't previously there.

Kind of the opposite, really.

[mclaren_mircea]

The car is fast. No doubt on it. Following on twitet jurnalists that were in Jerez this week, their impression was that mp4-29 is the most stable car in the high speed corners. For me that means that the car has good downforce. It's reliability was only questioned when they couldn't start the engine inthe first day, but after that Mclaren was very strong.

[jrionegro]

I think that with those wishbones they are making a bubble of hot air (using the exhaust) with low air speed just behind, over the difussor, creating a high Preassure bubble zone just on the diffusor, that will increase the downforce

[Gridlock]

Won't this cause significant outwash, thus improving the efficacy of the outer edges of the diffuser?

[i70q7m7ghw]

Another small beamwing below as well.
http://www.formula1.com/wi/enlarge/sutt ... 1ja231.jpg
http://www.formula1.com/wi/enlarge/sutt ... 1ja237.jpg

Conclusive proof the suspension arms are not "mushroom" shaped in profile, but simply rounded square/rectangles.

Also, if you look at the connection to the upright, you can see the upper arms appear to be a single piece, not 2 parts as previously suggested.

[beelsebob]

Another small beamwing below as well.
http://www.formula1.com/wi/enlarge/sutt ... 1ja231.jpg
http://www.formula1.com/wi/enlarge/sutt ... 1ja237.jpg

Conclusive proof the suspension arms are not "mushroom" shaped in profile, but simply rounded square/rectangles.

Also, if you look at the connection to the upright, you can see the upper arms appear to be a single piece, not 2 parts as previously suggested.

No, this is conclusive proof that *these particular* arms are rounded square/rectangles.

[PhillipM]

Conclusive how?
That's just the way you're perceiving it, I can quite clearly see the 'mushroom' shaping myself in both those photographs.

Given you can see that the front of the arms is much narrower than the rear, and that there's a concave profile on the top surface, I'm not sure why you keep insisting they're square.

[zac510]

The thing that constantly baffles me about these wishbones is that they rolled them out on day 1 of the test.

If they're particularly important to the car or of questionable rules then they could have hidden them longer and got engine testing sorted out.

Just can't escape the feeling I'm missing something from the bigger picture rather than just how the air moves around it.

[zioture]

Another small beamwing below as well.
http://www.formula1.com/wi/enlarge/sutt ... 1ja231.jpg
http://www.formula1.com/wi/enlarge/sutt ... 1ja237.jpg

Conclusive proof the suspension arms are not "mushroom" shaped in profile, but simply rounded square/rectangles.

Also, if you look at the connection to the upright, you can see the upper arms appear to be a single piece, not 2 parts as previously suggested.

No, this is conclusive proof that *these particular* arms are rounded square/rectangles.

I think it is so unique with the gurney flap

[acosmichippo]

The thing that constantly baffles me about these wishbones is that they rolled them out on day 1 of the test.

If they're particularly important to the car or of questionable rules then they could have hidden them longer and got engine testing sorted out.

Just can't escape the feeling I'm missing something from the bigger picture rather than just how the air moves around it.

I think the logic was this: whenever mcLaren decided to run the mushrooms, at least one other team was inevitably going to protest in melbourne. the outcome would have been the same if they ran them sooner or later, so might as well run them sooner.

[the EDGE]

The thing that constantly baffles me about these wishbones is that they rolled them out on day 1 of the test.

If they're particularly important to the car or of questionable rules then they could have hidden them longer and got engine testing sorted out.

Just can't escape the feeling I'm missing something from the bigger picture rather than just how the air moves around it.

I think the logic was this: whenever mcLaren decided to run the mushrooms, at least one other team was inevitably going to protest in melbourne. the outcome would have been the same if they ran them sooner or later, so might as well run them sooner.

Its possible that Mclaren believed that a change of suspension at some-point would go against them in case of a protest, by running them from day 1 it is easier to argue that this is just how they designed the part

[timbo]

What I wonder is why so much duct tape everywhere?

[RZS10]

Definitely not square... also look at ziotures pic on the last page. I wonder why people still doubt the "mushroom" shape. If there was no elevation there would be no shadow, it's as easy as that. You can clearly see the shape on the right, next to the crash structure.

[i70q7m7ghw]

http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1413 ... 1ja237.jpg
not square... also look at ziotures pic on the last page.
(and also not the most beautiful illustration...but...whatever )

The tape in this picture would suggest the shape was otherwise. Even if there is a "gurney", it's nowhere near as big as has been suggested:-